Thread supply device for textile machines

ABSTRACT

A thread supply device for a textile machine comprising a drum which can be set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from a storage coil can be tangentially wound to form an intermediate thread storage. A thread guide element is journaled so as to be transversely movable relative to the thread unwinding from the drum and is at the same time designed as a cut-off device. A thread support element has a part which is in contact with the thread unwinding from the drum and is arranged in radially spaced relation to the drum circumference in its initial position for positive thread supply and in alignment with the drum axis in a second position for intermittent thread supply. The part of the thread support element which is in contact with the thread is designed as a thread brake.

United States Patent Rosen 1 May 13, 1975 THREAD SUPPLY DEVICE FORTEXTILE 3,720,384 3/1973 Rosen 242 4701 2,791,599 2 1974 .lacohsson..242/4712 MACHINES 3,802,228 4/1974 Deniega 1. 242 4701 x Filed:

Karl Isac Joel Rosen, S-52 300-Ulricehamn. S-52300-Ulricehamn, SwedenJune 8, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 368,172

Related U.S. Application Data Continuationin-part of Ser. No. 312.048.Dec. 4,

1972. Pat. No. 3.820731.

Germany 2228754 U.S. Cl. 242/47.0l; 66/132 R [51] Int. Cl B6Sh 51/20Field of Search 242/47.0147. 13;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/197() Muhlhausler 242/47.01Hatay 242/4701 Muhlhausler 242/4701 X Primary litaminer-Stanley N.Gilreath Attornev, Agent. or Firn1Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn [57]ABSTRACT A thread supply device for a textile machine comprising a drumwhich can he set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from astorage coil can he tangentially wound to form an intermediate threadstorage. A thread guide element is journaled so as to he transverselymovable relative to the thread unwinding from the drum and is at thesame time designed as a cut-off device. A thread support element has apart which is in contact with the thread unwinding from the drum and isarranged in radially spaced relation to the drum circumference in itsinitial position for positive thread supply and in alignment with thedrum axis in a second position for intermittent thread supply. The partof the thread support element which is in contact with the thread isdesigned as a thread brake.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures THREAD SUPPLY DEVICE FOR TEXTILE MACHINESCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 312 048, filedDec. 4. 1972 now US. Pat. No. 3,820,731.

My copending application Ser. No. 312 048 relates to a thread supplydevice for textile machines comprising a drum which can be set inrotation, upon which a thread issuing from a storage coil can betangentially wound up to form an intermediate thread storage and furthercomprising a thread guide element which is journaled so as to betransversely movable to the thread undwinding from the drum and which isat the same time designed as a cut-off device, further comprising athread support element which has a part which is in contact with thethread unwinding from the drum and which is arranged in radial spacedrelation to the drum circumference in its initial position for positivethread supply and in alignment with the drum axis in a second positionfor intermittent thread supply.

Such a thread supply device may be employed as desired for positive andintermittent thread supply. The device is changed over from the one tothe other mode of operation by moving the thread support element. Thethread quide element forms a compensation loop by laterally deflectingthe thread. This compensation loop is designed to absorb variations intension which arise due to irregular consumption. In addition, thethread guide element also serves the function of a cutoff device whichshuts down the textile machine when the thread breaks between the drumand the working location of the textile machine.

In the case of the device according to my copending application, thepart of the thread support element which is contacted by the thread isdesigned as an eye through which the thread passes. This eye does notexert any substantial breaking action on the thread with the result thatthe thread unwinds from the drum in a completely tension-free state inthe position for intermittent thread supply. This is not alwaysdesirable, however.

The invention is based on the object of developing and improving thethread supply device according to my copending application such that thethread unwinds from the thread supply device with a definable amount oftension at least during intermittent thread supply. This object isaccomplished in accordance with the invention in that the part of thethread support element which is in contact with the thread is designedas a thread brake.

The thread passes through the thread brake in this case. By adjustingthis thread brake to a specific brak ing value, the low tension which isdesirable during intermittent thread supply can be set and maintained.

In the case of positive thread supply, it is not necessary to brake thethread which unwinds from the drum, since in this case only that amountof thread is released by the thread supply device as is consumed by thetextile machine. In order to prevent excessive braking, a stationarybrake opening element is provided in this further development of theinvention which holds the thread brake in an opened position when thethread support element is in the first position.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a lateral elevation ofa thread supply device in accordancewith the invention in the position for positive thread supply,

FIG. 2 is a partial lateral elevation corresponding to FIG. 1 in theposition for intermittent thread supply,

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional elevation through the storage drum,

FIG. 4 is a top elevation of the device according to FIG. I, and

FIG. 5 is a detail side view of a portion of FIG. 1.

The thread supply device has a drum 1 which is rotatablyjournaled in ahousing 2. The housing 2 is disposed on the outer end of a support arm 3which is provided at the inner end with a clamping member 4 by means ofwhich the thread supply device can be clamped onto a mounting fixture ofa textile machine.

The drum 1, which is designed in the illustrated embodiment as a barcage, forms in its upper section 1a a belt pulley with teeth 5 which isdefined at the bottom by a flange 6. This is encompassed by a perforatedbelt (not shown) which can be set in rotation synchronously with thework cycle of the textile machine by means of a drive motor (not shown).

A pivotal arm 11 is pivotally journaled about an axle 12 in the housing2. The axle 12 extends perpendicularly to the imaginary axis of rotation13 of the drum 1 and is co-planar therewith. A spring which is not shownbiases the pivotal arm 11 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. I and2. The pivotal arm 11 supports a thread guide element 15 in the form ofa thread eye at the free end. The parts I1 and 15 together form acut-off device which interrupts the textile machine drive and thus ofthe drum as well when the thread breaks between the drum 1 and thetextile machine. Cut-off devices of this type are known in the art.Normally, a switching cam is provided on the axle 12 which opens aswitch thereby interrupting the supply of current to the drive of thetextile machine or of the drum 1 when the pivotal arm 11 swings abruptlyin a counterclockwise direction.

A pivotal arm 17' is pivotal about a housing axle 12a which extendstransversely to the drum axis 13. In the position according to FIG. 1,it abuts on a stationary stop 7 while it is releasably locked against astop 8 in the position according to FIG. 2. The pivotal arm 17' supportsa thread brake 35 at its free end which is de signed as a normal discbrake. In accordacne with FIG. 5, the disc brake has two braking discs35a which are disposed on a common axle 36 and are pressed together andagainst a stop 36a by a compression spring 37. The tension of thecompression spring 37 can be adjusted by means of a knurled screw 38. Ina bulged section 3612 of the axle 36 which also supports the brake disc35a, there is provided an oblique slot 39 into which the thread can beinserted so that it runs through the center of the brake disc 35a.

A downwardly directed brake opening device 40 is clamped onto thesupport arm 3 and consists of a bar 40a with a sharpened, wedge-likepoint 40b. If the pivotal arm 17' is located in the position accordingto FIG. I, the wedge-like point 40b engages between the brake discs 35aand spreads these apart against the force of the compression spring 37such that the thread brake 35 does not exert any braking effect on thethread passing therethrough.

The mode of function is explained hereinbelow:

Starting first of all with the position shown in FIG. 1 for positivethread supply, the drum 1 is tangentially supplied with a thread F froma storage coil (not shown). The thread is stocked up V on the jacket ofthe drum. A thread transport element 30 is provided to slide the threadsupply V along the jacket of the drum. This element comprises a disc(cf. FIG. 3) which is inclined relative to the axis of rotation 13 ofthe drum 1 and extends outwardly with radial arms 3011 through theinterstices of the bar cage forming the drum 1. The disc 30 has aninclined position which is fixed relative to the axis 13 of drumrotation and is mounted to this end on a ball bearing 31 disposed in aninclincc manner on the axis of drum rotation. The disc 30 can thusfollow the rotation in the drum and executes a sort of tumbler movementin so doing, thereby causing it to push the thread windings downwardlyon the drum.

In the position of the pivotal arm 17' for positive thread supply inaccordance with FIG. 1, the thread is unwound substantially tangentiallyfrom the drum 1 at F, is conducted through the slot 39 in the axle 36 ofthe thread brake 35 and then passes through the eyeshaped thread guideelement 15 to the working location of the textile machine. Since thebrake disc 35a is spread apart by the brake opening device 40, thethread is not slowed down at all. The thread forms a compensation loop Adownstream of the brake 35, since it is laterally deflected by thespring-biased pivotal arm 11. The thread cannot be drawn off therotating drum 1 more rapidly than the rotation of the drum 1 allows whenthe pivotal arm 17 is located in the position according to FIG. 1. Thus,the textile machine can only consume a specific maximum amount of threadby virtue of the definition of positive thread supply.

If the thread breaks between the drum 1 and the textile machine for anyreason, the thread guide element 15 is released so that the pivotal arm11 can pivot in a counterclockwise direction, thereby shutting off thedrive means.

If a thread supply is desired which is independent of the operationalspeed of the textile machine, for example, if the thread must be drawninto the machine manually due to adjustment or repair work which issupposed to be carried out on the machine which is switched off and onlyoperable by hand, the pivotal arm 17' is moved into the positionaccording to FIG. 2 in which it is locked against the stop 8. The threadis now drawn off the drum 1 in a vertical direction as indicated at F.The speed at which the thread is removed is now independent of the speedof the drum. In fact, the thread can also be drawn off even when thedrum 1 is stationary.

The removed thread F is conducted through the disc brake 35 and atension which is selectable by correspondingly setting the screw 38 isimparted to the thread in so doing. From the thread brake 35, the threadF" then passes through the eye-shaped thread guide element 15 of thepivotal arm 11 and then to the working location of the textile machine.The parts 11 and 15 also function in this case as a cut-off device whichdiscontinues the drive means when the thread F" breaks.

The invention is not limited or restricted to the illustratedembodiment. The thread brake 35 could be moved between the two positionsshown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by other means as well, for example by a straightor arcuate guide slot. The axial thread transport on the drum could alsobe effected with other means, for example, by a conical drum section.

What I claim is:

1. In a thread supply device for a textile machine having a drum whichcan be set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from a storagecoil can be tangentially wound up to form an intermediate threadstorage, a thread guide element for engaging the thread as unwound fromsaid drum, means supporting the thread guide element for movememt in adirection transversely to the thread unwinding from the drum, and athread support element having a part which is in contact with the threadunwinding from the drum and is movable between first and secondpositions, said part being in radially spaced relation to the drumcircumference in said first position for positive thread supply and inalignment with the drum axis in said second position for intermittentthread supply, comprising the improvement wherein the part of the threadsupport element which is in contact with the thread is designed as athread brake.

2. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein the thread brakeincludes means for adjusting the braking action.

3. A thread supply device according to claim 1 wherein the thread brakecomprises a disc brake.

4. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein a stationarybrake opening device is provided which holds the thread brake in anopened position when the thread support element is in the firstposition.

5. A thread supply device according to claim 4, wherein the thread brakeincludes a pair of opposed brake discs, and wherein the brake openingdevice is a bar with a wedge-shaped point which engages between thediscs of the disc brake.

6. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein elongated levermeans is provided for swingably supporting said thread brake forswinging movement between said first and second positions, said threadbrake being mounted on said lever means adjacent one end thereof, andsaid lever means being supported for swinging movement adjacent theother end thereof about a pivot axis which extends substantiallyperpendicular to the drum axis.

7. A thread supply device according to claim 6, wherein said supportingmeans comprises an elongated lever hingedly mounted for swingingmovement about a hinge axis located adjacent one end of said lever, saidhinge axis extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to thedrum axis, and the thread guide element being mounted on said leveradjacent the other end thereof.

8. A thread supply device according to claim 7, wherein the pivot axisof said lever means and the hinge axis of said lever are substantiallyparallel and are spaced from one another, the hinge axis and the pivotaxis each substantially intersecting the drum axis.

9. A thread supply device according to claim 6, wherein the thread brakecomprises a pair of opposed brake discs which are resiliently urgedtoward one another, and wherein a stationary brake opening device isprovided which engages the brake discs and holds the thread brake in anopened condition when the thread support element is in said firstposition.

10. A thread supply device according to claim 1, wherein the threadbrake engages the thread unwinding from the drum at a location which isdisposed between the drum and the thread guide element.

1. In a thread supply device for a textile machine having a drum whichcan be set in rotation and upon which a thread issuing from a storagecoil can be tanGentially wound up to form an intermediate threadstorage, a thread guide element for engaging the thread as unwound fromsaid drum, means supporting the thread guide element for movememt in adirection transversely to the thread unwinding from the drum, and athread support element having a part which is in contact with the threadunwinding from the drum and is movable between first and secondpositions, said part being in radially spaced relation to the drumcircumference in said first position for positive thread supply and inalignment with the drum axis in said second position for intermittentthread supply, comprising the improvement wherein the part of the threadsupport element which is in contact with the thread is designed as athread brake.
 2. A thread supply device according to claim 1, whereinthe thread brake includes means for adjusting the braking action.
 3. Athread supply device according to claim 1 wherein the thread brakecomprises a disc brake.
 4. A thread supply device according to claim 1,wherein a stationary brake opening device is provided which holds thethread brake in an opened position when the thread support element is inthe first position.
 5. A thread supply device according to claim 4,wherein the thread brake includes a pair of opposed brake discs, andwherein the brake opening device is a bar with a wedge-shaped pointwhich engages between the discs of the disc brake.
 6. A thread supplydevice according to claim 1, wherein elongated lever means is providedfor swingably supporting said thread brake for swinging movement betweensaid first and second positions, said thread brake being mounted on saidlever means adjacent one end thereof, and said lever means beingsupported for swinging movement adjacent the other end thereof about apivot axis which extends substantially perpendicular to the drum axis.7. A thread supply device according to claim 6, wherein said supportingmeans comprises an elongated lever hingedly mounted for swingingmovement about a hinge axis located adjacent one end of said lever, saidhinge axis extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to thedrum axis, and the thread guide element being mounted on said leveradjacent the other end thereof.
 8. A thread supply device according toclaim 7, wherein the pivot axis of said lever means and the hinge axisof said lever are substantially parallel and are spaced from oneanother, the hinge axis and the pivot axis each substantiallyintersecting the drum axis.
 9. A thread supply device according to claim6, wherein the thread brake comprises a pair of opposed brake discswhich are resiliently urged toward one another, and wherein a stationarybrake opening device is provided which engages the brake discs and holdsthe thread brake in an opened condition when the thread support elementis in said first position.
 10. A thread supply device according to claim1, wherein the thread brake engages the thread unwinding from the drumat a location which is disposed between the drum and the thread guideelement.